TRPA and partners remove illegal moorings from Lake Tahoe

LAKE TAHOE, Calif./Nev. – When the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency (TRPA) passed its 2018 Shoreline Plan, the process of the cleanup of illegal buoys and moorings began. The Plan capped the number of piers and boat moorings, along with other shoreline activities such as commercial operations such as boat charters.

TRPA partnered with the California State Lands Commission this summer to begin removing illegally placed concrete mooring blocks and attached buoys from the bottom of Lake Tahoe. The removal of three boat anchoring blocks on the lake’s West Shore in August was the first under the Plan. Each of the concrete blocks weighs an estimated 1,200 to 1,500 pounds.

"This is an important step toward full implementation of a groundbreaking plan that was years in the making,” said TRPA General Counsel John Marshall. “We appreciate the work of our partners and our watercraft team to improve recreation and safety in Lake Tahoe’s iconic shoreline.”

The goals of the Shoreline Plan include protecting the lake from marine engine pollutants and aquatic invasive species, preserving fish and wildlife habitat, placing limits on the development of Lake Tahoe’s shoreline, and improving recreation and public safety. The initial phase of the plan created a mooring permitting and registration program to improve navigational safety and ensure buoy limits and regulations are maintained. Registration fees help support education, enforcement, public access, and scenic improvements on the lake.

“This partnership helps preserve the natural beauty of Lake Tahoe and ensure safe navigation and recreation,” said Jennifer Lucchesi, executive officer of the State Lands Commission. “We have a responsibility to the people of California to ensure that buoys on state waters are authorized. These recent removals follow action by the Commission last October and reflect the commitment to continued collaboration to protect and preserve Lake Tahoe’s scenic beauty and safe public access.”

In both California and Nevada, the lake bottom is public land and California State Lands Commission and Nevada Division of State Lands require leases or permits for mooring buoys as well.

TRPA contracted divers with Marine Taxonomic Services to remove the concrete blocks, chains, and buoys from Hurricane Bay on Lake Tahoe’s West Shore. The removal aligns with the agency’s ongoing work under the new Shoreline Plan to manage unpermitted activities, according to the agency. Recent legal actions by TRPA stopped illegal boat and buoy rentals and fined a boater for entering a sensitive marsh.

In 2023, the TRPA watercraft team tagged more than 80 illegal moorings and slowed hundreds of boats within the 600-foot no-wake zone. No-wake zones were established to protect the safety of paddlers and boaters, reduce shoreline erosion, and enhance the recreation experience for all.

“We remain steadfast in upholding permit requirements and boating rules designed to protect a rare and vital public resource,” Marshall said.

For more on the Shoreline Plan, visit https://www.trpa.gov/programs/shoreline/.